Hit a bump in the road... Monday morning I woke up and my foot was absolutely killing me - hurts to touch and to put weight (of course I"m at a convention where I need to do a lot of walking). I think it's a stress fracture due to running, and I can't get to a doctor until next week. I'll probably have to lay off the running and lower body weights for a while.

Man, that sucks. Where is the pain in your foot? I had "turf toe" a couple years ago, and it was one of the most painful things I've ever dealt with. I always used to laugh at NFL players when that came up on the injury report, but I totally understand why.

It's centralized around my big toe joint, so turf toe seems a likely culprit. Hurts like hell, and the fact that I've had to traipse back and forth between a hotel and a convention center all week hasn't made things any easier But I go home Saturday, thankfully.

Hit a bump in the road... Monday morning I woke up and my foot was absolutely killing me - hurts to touch and to put weight (of course I"m at a convention where I need to do a lot of walking). I think it's a stress fracture due to running, and I can't get to a doctor until next week. I'll probably have to lay off the running and lower body weights for a while.

Man, that sucks. Where is the pain in your foot? I had "turf toe" a couple years ago, and it was one of the most painful things I've ever dealt with. I always used to laugh at NFL players when that came up on the injury report, but I totally understand why.

It's centralized around my big toe joint, so turf toe seems a likely culprit. Hurts like hell, and the fact that I've had to traipse back and forth between a hotel and a convention center all week hasn't made things any easier But I go home Saturday, thankfully.

Damn, how long does something like that take to recover from? From what I've read it can take anywhere from a few days for minor cases to up to six weeks for the most severe cases.

Gratch talks about becoming more sympathetic of athletes with turf toe due to first-hand experience. I had my own revelation about the actual pain associated with seemingly benign injuries when I had back spasms one night. They hit out of nowhere, and when they did I was unable to breathe, I was in unrelenting pain for what seemed like an eternity with each spasm, and at one point my wife seriously thought I was having a heart attack. The pain brought tears to my eyes.

So many times I've heard of athletes being "out with back spasms" and laughed about their inability to play due to a "little back pain." Holy fuck was I wrong.

Hopefully your case is minor and only requires a short time away.

Last night following our softball game a friend, his girlfriend, and I were talking injuries as he inquired about my neck condition. Our discussion covered my neck, ongoing treatment, symptoms, then expanded to my supraspinatus strain, and then extended to his wrist sprain. The longer our conversation went on the more injuries we covered, and at one point his girlfriend just started randomly laughing hysterically. We both looked at her with puzzlement and all she could get out between gasps was, "All I hear is how old you two have become."

Yet we're still out there.

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Beauty is only skin deep. Which is why I take very good care of my skin.

Hit a bump in the road... Monday morning I woke up and my foot was absolutely killing me - hurts to touch and to put weight (of course I"m at a convention where I need to do a lot of walking). I think it's a stress fracture due to running, and I can't get to a doctor until next week. I'll probably have to lay off the running and lower body weights for a while.

Man, that sucks. Where is the pain in your foot? I had "turf toe" a couple years ago, and it was one of the most painful things I've ever dealt with. I always used to laugh at NFL players when that came up on the injury report, but I totally understand why.

It's centralized around my big toe joint, so turf toe seems a likely culprit. Hurts like hell, and the fact that I've had to traipse back and forth between a hotel and a convention center all week hasn't made things any easier But I go home Saturday, thankfully.

Yep, I would be shocked if it wasn't turf toe. Not much you can really do for it, other than lots of ice to alleviate the swelling. I feel your pain...TT is brutal.

Last time I had it, I was at a training workshop on a walking campus. It was a 1/2-mile walk each way from the dorms to the training rooms, which we did twice a day. By the end of the second day, I had requested one of those Rascal scooters ride around on because I literally couldn't walk. Hell, I couldn't even fit my foot into my shoe because it was swollen so badly.

Or just eat a nearby coworker and absorb their powers. Just not a fat one, you want leaner protein.

Did good yesterday and stayed away from the machine. Was ready to start chewing on my desk by the time I got home, but at least I didn't grab a quick fix.

Tried doing deadlifts again this morning. Watched a couple Youtube videos yesterday about correct technique, and thought I was doing it correctly...right up until my third set when a massive shooting pain went up through my shoulder and neck and seemed to settle at the base of my brain. Actually had to sit down for a couple minutes until it subsided. Needless to say, it brought a quicker end to today's workout than I would have liked.

If you need to tackle form changes, don't do it with the weight you're at. Instead, go down at least 50%, and then do it. work your way back up over a few sets (and spread out over several workout sessions as necessary, depending on gains/ability), so that you're monitoring what that posture form can actually handle.

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"If it weren't for Philo T. Farnsworth, inventor of television, we'd still be eating frozen radio dinners." - Johnny Carson

Purge is right, form is key for deadlifts, not only for strength gains, but also safety. And given your back injury history, you'll have to be even more diligent in maintaining proper form throughout.

Some suggestions that have helped me to improve my form.

- Squats are done with your weight focused at the middle of your foot, never forward or back. Deadlifts, on the other hand, should have you pressing more through your heels. That isn't to say you should drastically lean back, but when pressing your feet into the floor to start the lift your weight should me slightly to your heels, not at the middle of your feet or forward (too far forward and there goes your lower back).

- Are you using an overhand grip, or do you use an alternating grip (one hand over, one hand under)? Alternating grip keeps you from letting your shoulders round too far forward and makes it easier to keep a big chest and your shoulders back.

- When you start the lift your shins should be against the barbell, your knees directly over it, your chest puffed out and up, your shoulders back, and your head up so you are looking straight ahead in front of you (not down, not up at the ceiling).

- As soon as you power up into the lift, keep thinking "big chest, shoulders back", press your heels into the floor, drag the weight up along your shins (my shins are consistently scraped up from this lift but that's fairly common - thinking about wearing high socks despite it making me look like a douche), keep your eyes forward, your chest full, and at the top your shoulders should be back (I'm not a fan of jutting your hips forward and rounding too far back to lock out as it puts a lot of strain on your lower back, but some do it). When coming back down the bar should rub right over your knees and back down your shins to the starting position.

- At the bottom rest the weights on the floor for a second to "reset", make sure your form is right, and power up again. Your core should be activated throughout the lift, and your legs should be activated as well (this lift is not meant to only hammer your back).

Not sure if any of this helps, but maybe there are a few details in there to refine your form. The key is not letting your form falter, at all. Don't let your shoulders round forward as that puts your neck and shoulders at risk for pulling one of those small little muscles that never seem to heal completely. You can also pinch nerves with too much pronation.

If your form is a little "squirrelly" as I call it (when you're a little wobbly), then you're doing too much weight and your CNS needs to adjust to such a complex compound lift. If you start light and fix your form your CNS will adjust pretty quickly and your strength should go up fairly rapidly. Don't worry about doing lighter weight in the beginning. It can still be effective. When I first started doing DLs I could only handle 125lbs. On Tuesday I pulled 205 for five working sets of 5 and should be back to 225 in a few weeks even despite the time away due to "injury."

The strength will come, you can't really rush it with lifts like this or else you risk serious injury. Compound lifts depend on your entire body and strict form to complete correctly.

If you have any questions feel free to ask. Just be careful. No sense in risking injury. It's not worth it.

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Beauty is only skin deep. Which is why I take very good care of my skin.

2nd softball double-header back. Batted 1.000 with a homerun, a triple, and a number of doubles intermixed with a few singles. Run-ruled a buddy's team both games. They aren't a bad team, but we just hit well, fielded well (a number of 1-2-3 innings), and were aggressive running the bags. In B-league even the slightest overthrow can cost you a run, and we capitalized every chance we had.

Even despite missing most of the season it seems my bat isn't entirely lost. Didn't miss any plays at SS either.

Neck and arm aren't faring too well though. It's easy to say I'd rather be active and in pain than merely in pain, but I have to weather the repercussions afterward, and right now I can barely look to the left and don't expect to get much sleep. Been up since 2am from a restless night last night from constant tingling and numbness in my arm, and tonight you can add pain to the mix as well.

But, I guess it just reminds me that I'm alive. And I'm still out there competing at a high level.

Now someone please carry me upstairs to the shower.

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Beauty is only skin deep. Which is why I take very good care of my skin.

Started physical therapy again this week. Have a new therapist as I wasn't pleased with the one I had during the first go-round. This time I expressed my concerns, detailed what I was unhappy with from my prior treatment, went over my current training regiment, and discussed a treatment plan more tailored to me.

Instead of doing core nonsense like last time (my core isn't the issue), she's going to have me do my actual workout for the day (on Mondays I'll do chest/triceps at PT), check my form on all exercises, and determine if any are hurting my neck progress. She can then suggest alternatives to hit that particular muscle group without aggravating my bulging discs and hindering my treatment progress. We're going to do this for all of my workouts.

Then, once we've modified my workouts to keep from aggravating my neck, then we can start treatment knowing that I'm not doing something outside of PT to undermine it.

Also learned that my supraspinatus strain was misdiagnosed and I actually have an infraspinatus strain (the back of the rotator cuff instead of the middle). Had my chest workout today and due to the strain I have serious weakness at the bottom of bench press. I can't power up because it engages my infraspinatus too much and with it being strained I just can't do much weight. Very frustrating. Going to take a while to work back up again.

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Beauty is only skin deep. Which is why I take very good care of my skin.

Hit a bump in the road... Monday morning I woke up and my foot was absolutely killing me - hurts to touch and to put weight (of course I"m at a convention where I need to do a lot of walking). I think it's a stress fracture due to running, and I can't get to a doctor until next week. I'll probably have to lay off the running and lower body weights for a while.

Man, that sucks. Where is the pain in your foot? I had "turf toe" a couple years ago, and it was one of the most painful things I've ever dealt with. I always used to laugh at NFL players when that came up on the injury report, but I totally understand why.

It's centralized around my big toe joint, so turf toe seems a likely culprit. Hurts like hell, and the fact that I've had to traipse back and forth between a hotel and a convention center all week hasn't made things any easier But I go home Saturday, thankfully.

Yep, I would be shocked if it wasn't turf toe. Not much you can really do for it, other than lots of ice to alleviate the swelling. I feel your pain...TT is brutal.

Nothing official yet... after flying home, I went to the ER Saturday night to rule out a blood clot. The doc more or less shrugged his shoulders. It's not gout, no fractures on the Xrays, and he dismissed my blood clot concern out of hand. So I have an appointment with a orthopedic surgeon tomorrow that my wife (former gymnast/coach) thinks the world of. Being able to rest it has done a lot of good, and the ER doc gave me a Rx for some decent painkillers, so that's helped too.

Well, I have an update on my condition following today's doctor's visit and neurosurgeon consultation. Symptoms have continued to get worse, and now severe strength degradation has begun. I'm losing noticeable strength in my left triceps, shoulder, pectoral muscle, and grip. I've been noticing strength losses at the gym, during softball games, and today both my doctor and a neurosurgeon tested my strength symmetry and noticed measurable decreases in strength on my left side. I haven't quite yet reached the point of atrophy, but if left untreated atrophy and continued weakening are an inevitability.

As epidural injections, physical therapy, postural modifications, traction, and fitness regiment adjustments have all failed, my only next option involves intrusive measures. I at first assumed disc removal and fusion of the vertebrae, but I've been designated as a good candidate for complete disc replacement with the Synthes ProDisc-C.

Disc replacement is preferable to vertebrae fusion as fusion can sometimes lead to deterioration of remaining adjacent discs over time due to added strain from limited mobility. Disc replacement allows for continued motion without added strain on adjacent discs, making for a better long-term solution by limiting the possibility of additional surgeries to correct problems with those adjacent discs.

So, at age 35 I am likely to undergo a complete cervical disc replacement with the understanding that if my vertebrae reject the implants then fusion is the given Plan B. The only challenge is scheduling the surgery before I begin pharmacy school in early August as I do not intend to begin graduate school shortly after neck surgery. So much for fun in the sun this summer season. But, as my symptoms have gotten so severe as to hinder my general quality of life, simply living with the discomfort is no longer a realistic option. Especially as I lose strength and risk muscle atrophy.

I am expected to be back on my feet in about a week following surgery, able to attend school after about a month, but it is likely to take six months or more to return to competitive sports and heavy weight training, although my neurosurgeon thinks that time may be decreased because of my current fitness level and anxiousness to return to action. Not sure how I feel about all of this at the moment.

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Beauty is only skin deep. Which is why I take very good care of my skin.

Well, I have an update on my condition following today's doctor's visit and neurosurgeon consultation. Symptoms have continued to get worse, and now severe strength degradation has begun. I'm losing noticeable strength in my left triceps, shoulder, pectoral muscle, and grip. I've been noticing strength losses at the gym, during softball games, and today both my doctor and a neurosurgeon tested my strength symmetry and noticed measurable decreases in strength on my left side. I haven't quite yet reached the point of atrophy, but if left untreated atrophy and continued weakening are an inevitability.

As epidural injections, physical therapy, postural modifications, traction, and fitness regiment adjustments have all failed, my only next option involves intrusive measures. I at first assumed disc removal and fusion of the vertebrae, but I've been designated as a good candidate for complete disc replacement with the Synthes ProDisc-C.

Disc replacement is preferable to vertebrae fusion as fusion can sometimes lead to deterioration of remaining adjacent discs over time due to added strain from limited mobility. Disc replacement allows for continued motion without added strain on adjacent discs, making for a better long-term solution by limiting the possibility of additional surgeries to correct problems with those adjacent discs.

So, at age 35 I am likely to undergo a complete cervical disc replacement with the understanding that if my vertebrae reject the implants then fusion is the given Plan B. The only challenge is scheduling the surgery before I begin pharmacy school in early August as I do not intend to begin graduate school shortly after neck surgery. So much for fun in the sun this summer season. But, as my symptoms have gotten so severe as to hinder my general quality of life, simply living with the discomfort is no longer a realistic option. Especially as I lose strength and risk muscle atrophy.

I am expected to be back on my feet in about a week following surgery, able to attend school after about a month, but it is likely to take six months or more to return to competitive sports and heavy weight training, although my neurosurgeon thinks that time may be decreased because of my current fitness level and anxiousness to return to action. Not sure how I feel about all of this at the moment.

First off, Pete, that sucks. I'm sorry to hear that surgery seems to be the only viable option for you.

That being said, at least the outlook is good, especially given that within a relatively short time, you will be able to resume your normal activities without limitations. Having some very personal experience with joint and bone replacement surgeries (my wife has Rheumatoid Arthritis and has had several joint replacement surgeries), I can tell you that if you are to follow your surgeon's instructions and your physical therapy schedule, you should be very close to where you were prior to your injury as far as comfort, quality of life, etc.

Personally, I took a bit more time to get back to normal after my hernia surgery, but I can't imagine what I'd be like had I chosen not to have it done.

I appreciate the positive sentiments. My biggest concern at the moment is medical insurance approval. As insurance can vary on a state-by-state basis, we are currently unsure as to whether disc replacement will be covered. Approval can depend on lumbar versus cervical, fusion versus replacement, and as disc replacement is considered to be a relatively "new" technology approvals can be difficult to obtain. The Synthes company offers patient assistance in gaining insurance approval, so I'm going to remain optimistic that we will be able to obtain approval for replacement and not just fusion, especially since replacement is a better long-term solution.

Fortunately our deductible cannot exceed a set amount, so regardless of procedure cost we can expect to pay no more than a finite dollar amount (no more than $2000), which is comforting given that disc replacement can range from $65,000 to $100,000.

EDIT: I'm also pursuing additional opinions on my condition, including the Laser Spine Institute and endoscopic spine surgery. Before going under the knife I want to make sure to explore every option, leaving intrusive surgery as the very last resort. We'll see what happens.

« Last Edit: May 23, 2012, 10:28:42 PM by PeteRock »

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Beauty is only skin deep. Which is why I take very good care of my skin.

EDIT: I'm also pursuing additional opinions on my condition, including the Laser Spine Institute and endoscopic spine surgery. Before going under the knife I want to make sure to explore every option, leaving intrusive surgery as the very last resort. We'll see what happens.

After having looked into alternatives, the neurosurgeon I originally met with is from the Barrow's Neurological Institute (BNI), one of the top 10 neurosurgery hospitals in the country, and his diagnosis is sound. Endoscopic correction isn't an option for my condition, especially with it being in the cervical spine, so disc removal with prosthetic replacement is my ideal solution as confirmed by two other parties, both of whom spoke ridiculously highly of my neurosurgeon and BNI.

I began today with a new MRI to verify that my doctors' diagnosis is sound, and it not only showed the severely bulging disc at C6-7, but another bulging disc at C5-6. C6-7 is much more severe, but spinal fusion will result in inevitable problems with C5-6 in the future from lack of mobility, making complete disc replacement preferable to avoid adjacent disc degradation.

Today I also underwent an EMG, which is a form of nerve conduction assessment, and it was determined that I've already developed some minor nerve damage in my triceps and hand. Waiting too long to correct the impingement will only lead to more severe damage with irreparable consequences. I apparently have up to four weeks before I develop irreparable damage, and now that I've already sustained some, the clock has started ticking.

On a side note, the EMG was not pleasant. The electrical shock portion was bearable, although rather weird with my hand and arm involuntarily jumping off the table, not to mention a comparable feeling to being electrocuted while changing an electrical outlet. The needle portion, on the other hand, was rather unpleasant. A needle was inserted into various muscles along my left arm as well as in my neck, trapezius muscle, hand, multiple deltoids, and my left pectoral muscle, and electrical impulses were read by a computer. Needle insertion was manageable, but having to flex each muscle with a needle deeply inserted, sometimes near or adjacent to a nerve, was consistently painful and pretty damn uncomfortable. Especially when the needle was rotated and moved around inside the muscle. Some insertions went over 3" deep to access the appropriate muscle fibers. I left the room drenched in sweat from coping with the pain.

And now that all of the nerves on my left side are aggravated from the EMG, the impingement I already have combined with the inflammation from the EMG has me cranky as fuck. Looks like beer and vicodin for dinner tonight or else I'm going to try to fix the problem myself with a leatherman, a Nike Air sac from a pair of old sneakers, and a bottle of scotch.

Tomorrow I schedule my MRI evaluation and additional assessment with the neurosurgeon, and then if everything is once again confirmed, surgery will be scheduled at Barrow's. I just hope sooner rather than later so that I can partially recover before beginning pharmacy school. I just want to put this all behind me as the pain and discomfort has continued to get worse, making general day-to-day life borderline unbearable.

I've weighed the risks and still want to go through with this as the symptoms are truly that severe.

In the meantime I will be continuing with my lifting regiment, competitive softball, basketball, etc, right up until the day of surgery. The symptoms have been pretty bad lately, but competing at less than 100% is better than not at all. That would be like taking beer away from Ironrod, hair products and Carrot Top away from hepcat, or the entire internet away from CeeKay.

« Last Edit: May 30, 2012, 02:38:21 AM by PeteRock »

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Beauty is only skin deep. Which is why I take very good care of my skin.

Sorry to hear about the issues Pete! Sounds like you get a sweet Robocop-style upgrade to your spine once it's all said and done though Best of luck getting through to the other side of it all.

I have been doing ok with the intermittent fasting myself. I haven't checked my actual weight in a while but I have definitely slimmed down the abdomen donut. I have noticed that I have a tendency to create a binge eating situation at nights when my 8pm cutoff time rolls around. If I eat dinner early, like 7pm, instead of just ending things then, 7:55 or so rolls around and I think "Oh man, my last chance to eat." I then stuff myself with something, and end up making myself sick. Just a problem with willpower and the ability to say "no more."

I'm basically going to keep this up another six weeks. In July I'm going to San Diego for a week for Comic Con and some beach time. I'm going to eat myself silly while I'm there, and then settle back into a normal healthy eating pattern afterwards. I really miss breakfasts

Jesus, Pete...that's brutal man. So much for "a simple injection and you'll be fine". Keeping my fingers crossed that it all ends up working out for you, that's got to be tough as hell.

I met with a trainer buddy of mine, who is trying to start me on a lifting regimen that is a 180 degree change from what I've been doing. Lots of lighter weight, huge reps, unstable elements (i.e. on a medicine ball, on one foot), "pulse" reps (short movements focusing on one specific area), etc., etc. It's a phased process with 13 workouts in each of the 5 phases (Integrated stability phase, stability equivalent training, definition training, maximum strength training, maximum power training), then you start the whole process over, rinse and repeat. He's a wicked smart guy, there's a ton of very good science behind it, and the whole concept totally makes sense...but am not sure I can get myself motivated enough to actually do it. It would require quite a bit more time (workouts would go from 50-60 minutes to 90 every day), and be exponentially tougher. I'm probably just being a huge pussy, but can't get up the gumption to push myself that hard. I know it's what I need to do to get me up to that "next level", but I simply don't have the gumption for it right now with everything else going on in my life.

That said, I have incorporated a few elements of it, such as sets of forced negative reps. If nothing else, I'm much more sore after those sets, which means they must be doing something.

Jesus, Pete...that's brutal man. So much for "a simple injection and you'll be fine". Keeping my fingers crossed that it all ends up working out for you, that's got to be tough as hell.

I now have a cervical collar fitting appointment, a pre-op assessment appointment, and surgery has been scheduled for July 10th. EMG test results and MRI review once again re-re-re-confirm my condition and the need for neurosurgery.

I'm certainly handling it better than my wife and friends at the moment. Right now my wife is losing her shit about it, going so far as to urge me to call family, as she feels that this is "something you call your mother about," and as I haven't spoken to either of my parents in over 10 years, my wife feels I need to call someone's mom. She starts tearing up any time we talk about the surgery, and I wasn't sure why until she asked "what if you die?" As I have the best neurosurgeon in Arizona at a top-10 neurosurgery hospital in the country (Barrow Neurological Institute), I am confident in my surgical team. That doesn't trivialize or negate her concerns, and it's touching to know she is that concerned, but it will be okay. It has to. It simply has to.

I spoke with my grandmother last night just to let her know what is going on, and as my grandfather had successful fusion surgery back when I was a kid, my Nanny isn't worried at all. My area friends, on the other hand, are more concerned and worried than I had expected. They all keep asking if I've exhausted all options, which I obviously have, and when I mention having already sustained some nerve damage, making surgery a necessity, they accept the fact that it has become a very real need. But when we talk about it I get the occasional look like I'm going to the gallows. Plenty of people have had this procedure with great success. I'm just surprised that I'm the calmest of all of us, as I am the one going under the knife.

I'll probably get more anxious as July 10th approaches though.

The hardest part will be recovery. I'll pretty much be down and out for about a week, then restricted to very limited movement for about a month, and after that it'll be six months to a year before I can even consider getting back in the gym or back on to the softball field or basketball court. I'm going to lose my fucking mind.

So for now I have a month left to continue lifting, playing summer softball, pick-up basketball, sand volleyball at local BBQs with friends, and water skiing/wakeboarding. Christ, maybe my friends are right, I am going to the gallows.

Quote

I met with a trainer buddy of mine, who is trying to start me on a lifting regimen that is a 180 degree change from what I've been doing. Lots of lighter weight, huge reps, unstable elements (i.e. on a medicine ball, on one foot), "pulse" reps (short movements focusing on one specific area), etc., etc. It's a phased process with 13 workouts in each of the 5 phases (Integrated stability phase, stability equivalent training, definition training, maximum strength training, maximum power training), then you start the whole process over, rinse and repeat. He's a wicked smart guy, there's a ton of very good science behind it, and the whole concept totally makes sense...but am not sure I can get myself motivated enough to actually do it. It would require quite a bit more time (workouts would go from 50-60 minutes to 90 every day), and be exponentially tougher. I'm probably just being a huge pussy, but can't get up the gumption to push myself that hard. I know it's what I need to do to get me up to that "next level", but I simply don't have the gumption for it right now with everything else going on in my life.

That said, I have incorporated a few elements of it, such as sets of forced negative reps. If nothing else, I'm much more sore after those sets, which means they must be doing something.

I understand the philosophy and "science" behind such a program, but I'm not a fan, and I know many who are also resistant to it. Still, don't take that as trying to wiz in your Cheerios. If you see results, go with it. I have mixed feelings, in part because of the length of workouts, the awkward exercises, and initial struggles, but I'm not going to claim ineffectiveness as I have little experience with it. Ultimately I do what I like to do at the gym, and if I stop enjoying it, I stop going. Workouts like this take all enjoyment out of strength training for me, plus it's well outside of my lifting comfort zone, which makes me pretty unlikely to stick with it, or lifting in general.

I lift because I like to, and I enjoy my programs, which are all based on compound lifts and associated research. Which is "correct?" Doesn't matter. Results = results. I say do what you like, because doing something will always trump over-analyzing which can often lead to doing nothing.

« Last Edit: May 31, 2012, 03:34:28 PM by PeteRock »

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Beauty is only skin deep. Which is why I take very good care of my skin.

Ultimately I do what I like to do at the gym, and if I stop enjoying it, I stop going. Workouts like this take all enjoyment out of strength training for me, plus it's well outside of my lifting comfort zone, which makes me pretty unlikely to stick with it, or lifting in general.

I lift because I like to, and I enjoy my programs, which are all based on compound lifts and associated research. Which is "correct?" Doesn't matter. Results = results. I say do what you like, because doing something will always trump over-analyzing which can often lead to doing nothing.

Yeah, this is pretty much where I'm at with it. I figure I'm better off going and doing a workout I actually enjoy - even if it's less effective - than trying to shoehorn in a workout I hate (and ultimately quitting, most likely) simply because it will get me more stronger/more defined. My buddy is also one of these really lean, athletic types, which isn't exactly what I'm going for. I'd rather look more like a linebacker than a safety. I've got another trainer friend who is an absolute beast and looks like he could lift a Volvo, so I might hit him up for some workout tips as well.

And no, I have no idea why I used "gumption" twice in my original post. See what getting up at 4:15 am to hit the gym does to your brain!!

Progress report - About six weeks into intermittent fasting and a paleo(ish), high-fat diet. Down 15 pounds! I've definitely lost some strength but it hasn't been extreme. I have another four weeks to go before my trip to San Diego and am feeling great about hitting the beach

Progress report - About six weeks into intermittent fasting and a paleo(ish), high-fat diet. Down 15 pounds! I've definitely lost some strength but it hasn't been extreme. I have another four weeks to go before my trip to San Diego and am feeling great about hitting the beach

Nice work.

While going through physical therapy, the therapist I was assigned seemed obsessed not only with core work (my program includes squats, deadlifts, bent-over rows, pull-ups, which all activate the core, and yet she continued to belabor my "need" to use a bosu ball for everything ), but also with only doing exercises that directly translate to better performance. She had completely cut bicep curls, calf raises, triceps extensions, and a variety of other "aesthetic" exercises out of her routine and felt the need to mock their effectiveness during all of our training sessions, suggesting that what she called "adornment" exercises had no real purpose. Bicep curls are for "bros."

My point? While some exercises are more "aesthetic" than "functional", I argue that if someone is in the gym then at least part of their intent is to look better. If they say otherwise, odds are they're lying. Sure, improved performance and better health are nice bonuses, and a number of exercises in my program translate to improved athletic performance, but I still keep certain "aesthetic" exercises to ensure muscle balance and improved physique.

This isn't outright narcissism, but a desire to both feel and look better. And as you've demonstrated, such progress translates almost directly to better personal confidence, not only in general, but certainly in situations involving fairly revealing attire. I remember avoiding trips to the beach or boating on the lake back when I was 40 to 50 pounds heavier. Not any longer.

Take your own snacks, primarily those high in fiber. That way drinking water will provide that full feeling and hopefully curb any junk food impulses. Or, just think about the beach and what sugary snacks can do to your hard work and progress. You're almost there.

Today I finally got my deadlift back up to over 200lbs despite grips challenges from my nerve damage. I was forced to use straps to make up for it, but I still pulled 205. I went up in weight in everything else as well which felt good after feeling like I had been stuck at a plateau for so long. I had been doing fasted workouts for a while but my performance dropped considerably, so I've lately been eating a light protein-rich snack about two hours before my workout and it has completely improved my energy and performance.

« Last Edit: June 12, 2012, 11:06:41 PM by PeteRock »

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Beauty is only skin deep. Which is why I take very good care of my skin.

Summer softball starts TONIGHT! Despite only having a few weeks off from the Spring season, I'm ready to get back on the playing field. Coming off a 15-0 season plus a league championship, expectations are high this season as well. Unfortunately I'll only get three weeks of play in before surgery. Then I'm expected to be out 4-6 months at best, up to a year at worst. But I hope to crush expectations and be back in the gym AND back on the softball field sooner than expected.

We're back in B-league with plenty of teams gunning to take us down. I think we're up to 12 teams this season. Just that many more opportunities for victory.

We also have a big upper-level evening tournament coming up this Saturday. My last tournament before July 10th, so the goal is to win it all as my send-off.

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Beauty is only skin deep. Which is why I take very good care of my skin.

We also have a big upper-level evening tournament coming up this Saturday. My last tournament before July 10th, so the goal is to win it all as my send-off.

Took 2nd in the "Summer Nights" tournament, losing the championship by 3. We had a good showing, but in the end we made one more mistake than our opponents, and even staged somewhat of a comeback only to fall 3 runs short. Six straight hours of softball in 106 degree heat.

Last night was my wife's Thursday team's championship playoffs and they were down a fielder, so they asked me to fill in. And as I'm trying to get as many competitive things in before surgery as possible it was nice to play. Plus I really like the team and have a lot of fun playing with them. We finally took the championship in the Gilbert Thursday league after a number of years of struggles, frustrations, and falling short. We were down by 1 going into the next-to-last inning, and with one out we staged a 3-run comeback to take the lead, and we managed to hold them to zero runs with two stranded on base to finish the game. It felt good. Really REALLY good. Post-game beers tasted that much better.

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Beauty is only skin deep. Which is why I take very good care of my skin.

So I decided to go see my doctor today because I have noticed my heart rate has been elevated as of late. He performed an EKG and found that it is indeed way elevated. He drew some blood to check if it is thyroid related, but I won't find out the results until Monday.

He did say that the EKG showed that my heart is perfectly healthy and shows no signs of heart disease or anything like that. My heart may just be 'out of rhythm', and may need to be shocked back.

After giving this some thought, I can't remember the last time when my heart rate didn't feel the way it feels right now.

Frankly, this whole situation has me pretty freaked out. I've never had any major health issues outside my hernia surgery last year. Anyway, just needed to vent about it a bit.

So I decided to go see my doctor today because I have noticed my heart rate has been elevated as of late. He performed an EKG and found that it is indeed way elevated. He drew some blood to check if it is thyroid related, but I won't find out the results until Monday.

He did say that the EKG showed that my heart is perfectly healthy and shows no signs of heart disease or anything like that. My heart may just be 'out of rhythm', and may need to be shocked back.

After giving this some thought, I can't remember the last time when my heart rate didn't feel the way it feels right now.

Frankly, this whole situation has me pretty freaked out. I've never had any major health issues outside my hernia surgery last year. Anyway, just needed to vent about it a bit.

Heart issues can be terrifying, but things like elevated pulse or even abnormal beats are actually relatively mundane and not very threatening. In general, a serious heart issue would impact you physically in the moment, like you'd feel faint or have shooting pains or something like that. They should still be checked out of course, but it doesn't sound like your life is in danger or anything

I had issues last year during a particular stressful patch of my life where my heart began skipping beats every once in a while. It's a very bizarre feeling, and I didn't know what was going on. I put my fingers to my throat to check my pulse and felt a beat just... not show up... when the feeling came.

I thought I was probably going to die any second and got an immediate appointment with a doctor. Turns out it's a "benign arrhythmia" and a fairly common reaction to heavy stress. Once I took a few days off and took care of some of my stressors things got back to normal fast.

I'm not a doctor, but I would guess the doctor will tell you "yeah it's a little weird, but eat a little better and take more walks and you'll be fine."

Hey rick, any updates on your heart concerns? Wanted to see if you received positive news.

Got a decent back workout in today, but I took a hard throw off the shin/calf last week while beating out a throw to first and the bottom half of my leg is completely purple with bruising migrating down into my foot. It hurts like hell and my calf seized up during my workout today, so I guess the injury isn't as minor as I assumed. Still, I don't believe anything to be broken, I just have a mean egg on my calf and pretty extensive bruising. It cut my workout short though, forcing me to pass on cardio. I've been elevating and icing my leg since it happened which seems to have limited my discomfort.

Saturday we leave for Clearwater, Florida for our last vacation before I have surgery on July 10th and then start pharmacy school in early August. I may try to get one or two gym visits in while there, but we get back on the 6th and I'll be able to fit a few more workouts in before the 10th. I still like getting a couple of workouts in at the beach, but I'll have to see what the schedule looks like. If we're too busy I'm not going to lament a break from the gym. Maybe we'll get some beach volleyball in.

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Beauty is only skin deep. Which is why I take very good care of my skin.

Hey rick, any updates on your heart concerns? Wanted to see if you received positive news.

Thanks for checking, Pete. The blood test came back and my thyroid is fine, which means that it's something heart related. I have an appointment with a cardiologist tomorrow afternoon, so hopefully I'll have a better idea after that.

Quote from: PeteRock on June 26, 2012, 10:09:35 PM

Got a decent back workout in today, but I took a hard throw off the shin/calf last week while beating out a throw to first and the bottom half of my leg is completely purple with bruising migrating down into my foot. It hurts like hell and my calf seized up during my workout today, so I guess the injury isn't as minor as I assumed. Still, I don't believe anything to be broken, I just have a mean egg on my calf and pretty extensive bruising. It cut my workout short though, forcing me to pass on cardio. I've been elevating and icing my leg since it happened which seems to have limited my discomfort.

Saturday we leave for Clearwater, Florida for our last vacation before I have surgery on July 10th and then start pharmacy school in early August. I may try to get one or two gym visits in while there, but we get back on the 6th and I'll be able to fit a few more workouts in before the 10th. I still like getting a couple of workouts in at the beach, but I'll have to see what the schedule looks like. If we're too busy I'm not going to lament a break from the gym. Maybe we'll get some beach volleyball in.

Just be careful not to injure anything else that's not related to your neck before your surgery. Trust me when I tell you that the very last thing you want is to have to worry about rehabbing something other than your neck.

Thanks for checking, Pete. The blood test came back and my thyroid is fine, which means that it's something heart related. I have an appointment with a cardiologist tomorrow afternoon, so hopefully I'll have a better idea after that.

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Just be careful not to injure anything else that's not related to your neck before your surgery. Trust me when I tell you that the very last thing you want is to have to worry about rehabbing something other than your neck.

Too true. Back when I had knee surgery I also had a broken nose reset at the same time. A funny side story: during surgery both my nose doctor and my knee doctor were working at the same time. But, as my nose doctor had to rebreak my nose and start moving it back into place, the grinding and cracking noises bothered my knee doctor so much that he passed out and had to be taken from the room. He was only able to complete my knee surgery after my nose was finished.

Despite having my meniscus repaired and a lateral release, post-op pain from my nose was WAAAAAAAY worse. I didn't necessarily have to rehab my nose per se, but it sucked having two procedures at the same time.

As I've aged and continued to play competitive sports, lift heavy weights, and strength train as many as four to five days a week, I've been forced to quickly learn how to read my body and modify activities accordingly. Sometimes I just know the day after a particularly taxing workout that I'm not nearly recovered enough, so I'm forced to take an extra rest day. Or, sometimes something as simple as not enough sleep can completely ruin a workout. Fasted workouts can also suck it.

Being so active also makes it pretty easy to tell when something just isn't quite right, such as the deteriorating strength in my left arm. I've always had pretty balanced strength as I addressed and trained through imbalances quite some time ago. But lately I can feel my left arm getting progressively weaker.

In terms of my leg, it's bothering me, but I'd say it's more injured than hurt. I've been icing it every day, and during my workouts I've cut out running and won't do calves on my leg day. But I certainly train with care and do my best to maintain proper form and avoid injury. I'm too old to heal.

The one thing that baffles me is while I'm a little banged up, I'm shocked at how much worse I feel when I'm not being active. If I'm out of commission for too long after surgery I'm either going to lose my mind or start pacing the house a few days after surgery while mourning the hibernation of my gym membership. My doctors told me I'm not allowed to pick up anything heavier than a coffee cup or toothbrush for the first few weeks.

Really?

Looks like my workouts will be incorporating a lot of 12 oz curls.

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Beauty is only skin deep. Which is why I take very good care of my skin.

The one thing that baffles me is while I'm a little banged up, I'm shocked at how much worse I feel when I'm not being active. If I'm out of commission for too long after surgery I'm either going to lose my mind or start pacing the house a few days after surgery while mourning the hibernation of my gym membership. My doctors told me I'm not allowed to pick up anything heavier than a coffee cup or toothbrush for the first few weeks.

Really?

Looks like my workouts will be incorporating a lot of 12 oz curls.

So long as you push yourself during your rehab, you should be able to put yourself well ahead of the recovery schedule.

He said that it could have been any number of things, such as caffeine, dehydration, and stress. I don't normally drink a lot of coffee, so I ruled that out. I don't think I'm under a lot of stress, but I may be just telling myself that. Lastly, I drink A LOT of water throughout the day, but almost always feel thirsty. Any other way to stay hydrated?

He said that it could have been any number of things, such as caffeine, dehydration, and stress. I don't normally drink a lot of coffee, so I ruled that out. I don't think I'm under a lot of stress, but I may be just telling myself that. Lastly, I drink A LOT of water throughout the day, but almost always feel thirsty. Any other way to stay hydrated?

Glad to hear that things look okay. I've been waiting to see an update.

As so many variables can influence such anomalous conditions, it is difficult to say what exactly could have been the cause.

In terms of staying hydrated, the ideal way is to maintain a steady and consistent water intake. Sports drinks are high in sodium and soda and caffeinated beverages act as diuretics, so drinking ample water throughout each day is the most effective solution. Not sure what kind of influence sufficient water intake can have on heart rate, but you're most likely better off remaining sufficiently hydrated.

By any chance was the diagnosing doctor your regular physician, or one you merely selected? I ask because doctors obviously range in levels of quality. As an example, I despise the internal medicine specialist I was referred to for my concussion as he has some sort of obsession with hypertension, being all too anxious to prescribe blood pressure medicine despite a lack of monitoring data and unwillingness to consider anomalies. My blood pressure was unusually high during my last visit (138/89), and he immediately prescribed blood pressure medicine.

I refused to fill the prescription, and during my next visit my blood pressure was 122/82. He was quick to attribute the drop to medication, until I told him that his diagnosis was a bit hasty and I abstained from medication to see if my last visit was an exception rather than an indicator of hypertension. He refuses to listen to anything I say (he belabors the point that I "need" to go on a low-salt diet, despite my already being on a self-imposed low-salt diet due to a history of hypertension in my family).

My point is that if this is a new doctor, his diagnosis may be based more on general information and a predisposition for a particular diagnosis versus an actual knowledge of the patient.

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Beauty is only skin deep. Which is why I take very good care of my skin.

Glad to hear that things look okay. I've been waiting to see an update.

Quote from: PeteRock on June 28, 2012, 12:57:03 AM

By any chance was the diagnosing doctor your regular physician, or one you merely selected? I ask because doctors obviously range in levels of quality.

There wasn't a diagnosis per se, other than my regular doctor noticing that my heart rate was abnormally elevated and referring me to a cardiologist after the thyroid test came back okay. The thing that really freaked me out is when my doctor's nurse did my EKG, she saw the results and asked if I was experiencing any chest pains.

Quote from: PeteRock on June 28, 2012, 12:57:03 AM

As an example, I despise the internal medicine specialist I was referred to for my concussion as he has some sort of obsession with hypertension, being all too anxious to prescribe blood pressure medicine despite a lack of monitoring data and unwillingness to consider anomalies. My blood pressure was unusually high during my last visit (138/89), and he immediately prescribed blood pressure medicine.

I refused to fill the prescription, and during my next visit my blood pressure was 122/82. He was quick to attribute the drop to medication, until I told him that his diagnosis was a bit hasty and I abstained from medication to see if my last visit was an exception rather than an indicator of hypertension. He refuses to listen to anything I say (he belabors the point that I "need" to go on a low-salt diet, despite my already being on a self-imposed low-salt diet due to a history of hypertension in my family).

That's like a doctor I once went to because I was having problems sleeping. When he found that my then-girlfriend and I had recently broken up, he immediately prescribed anti-depressants and sleeping pills.

There wasn't a diagnosis per se, other than my regular doctor noticing that my heart rate was abnormally elevated and referring me to a cardiologist after the thyroid test came back okay. The thing that really freaked me out is when my doctor's nurse did my EKG, she saw the results and asked if I was experiencing any chest pains.

Nurses are typically trained to recognize certain elements of an EKG that might indicate a potentially serious condition or situation, so I see why she might ask if you were experiencing any chest pains. If she then calmly moved on after your "no" response then odds are there wasn't much to get excited about.

Still, as one's ticker isn't something to be taken lightly, I could see why you'd be a bit concerned. Hell, I'm starting to get a little anxious about my neck, not about the neck itself, but about someone messing about in an area surrounding my spinal cord. And as they have to move my trachea off to the side to access the disc, I'm worried I could have some difficulty swallowing beer following the procedure.

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That's like a doctor I once went to because I was having problems sleeping. When he found that my then-girlfriend and I had recently broken up, he immediately prescribed anti-depressants and sleeping pills.

Fucking crazy doctors...

Well, not to play devil's advocate, but in some cases sleep medications can lead to feelings of depression, and as you were already coping with an emotionally charged situation, the anti-depressants were probably precautionary as the combination of sleeping pills with potential feelings of depression from your recent break-up could have become a more serious problem.

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Beauty is only skin deep. Which is why I take very good care of my skin.

Hell, I'm starting to get a little anxious about my neck, not about the neck itself, but about someone messing about in an area surrounding my spinal cord. And as they have to move my trachea off to the side to access the disc, I'm worried I could have some difficulty swallowing beer following the procedure.

Yeah, I don't imagine you'll be feeling too well the first few days after surgery. Much like working out after some time off, the second day after the surgery will probably be the worst. You should have passed all the pain meds after that. Friendly advice, if you're going to be on codeine or another painkiller, get yourself a stool softener. I'm sure you know the havoc that pain meds cause on your digestive system.

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Well, not to play devil's advocate, but in some cases sleep medications can lead to feelings of depression, and as you were already coping with an emotionally charged situation, the anti-depressants were probably precautionary as the combination of sleeping pills with potential feelings of depression from your recent break-up could have become a more serious problem.

I don't think I was bothered so much as to what he prescribed, but rather the rapidity at which he did it. My consultation that day was 5 minutes at most.

This doctor also totally missed my dad's heart condition at the time. He didn't bother to listen to his heart and blamed his shortness of breath and general malaise on allergies. Had he listened to his heart, he would have noticed that only half of it was working and that he needed a pacemaker. About a week or so after that appointment, he had to be rushed to the hospital via ambulance for an emergency procedure.

Friendly advice, if you're going to be on codeine or another painkiller, get yourself a stool softener. I'm sure you know the havoc that pain meds cause on your digestive system.

All too familiar. Other recommendations include drinking plenty of water, eating high fiber foods with more frequency, and I also intentionally break up dosing frequency to avoid potential addiction. I've had vicodin prescribed for periods when my nerve pain reaches high levels of severity, primarily to help with sleep (I've had too many sleepless nights due to buzzing, tingling, and pain). My doctor recommended it mainly for nights after softball as my symptoms are typically far worse following strenuous activity, but also for long flights as the default posture during take-off and landing places my shoulder in the worst possible position to impinge my nerve.

We're planning to have easily-accessible water, stool softeners, and high-fiber snacks nearby during my recovery to avoid any painkiller-associated problems. My brother-in-law is also moving in to our guest room to live as my wife's roommate while I'm away at school, and he'll be home to lend a hand while I'm recovering and my wife has to go to work.

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I don't think I was bothered so much as to what he prescribed, but rather the rapidity at which he did it. My consultation that day was 5 minutes at most.

This doctor also totally missed my dad's heart condition at the time. He didn't bother to listen to his heart and blamed his shortness of breath and general malaise on allergies. Had he listened to his heart, he would have noticed that only half of it was working and that he needed a pacemaker. About a week or so after that appointment, he had to be rushed to the hospital via ambulance for an emergency procedure.

Ah. I'd be irked as well.

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Beauty is only skin deep. Which is why I take very good care of my skin.